Sweden - a culture of innovation

Sweden is one of the largest countries in Western Europe, and about 9 million people live here. Despite its small population and large area, Sweden is a technologically advanced country with good infrastructure.

One of the world’s most modern countries, Sweden is the birthplace of many successful international corporations.

Innovative research at Swedish universities and companies has resulted in a number of successful inventions. Some examples are the computer mouse, Bluetooth for internet mobility, the pacemaker, the ball bearing, the Tetra Pak beverage packaging system, the dialysis machine and internet applications such as the online music streaming service Spotify and the free internet calling service Skype.

These fairly recent inventions build on a long history of excellence in academia and research. Sweden is the home of the prestigious Nobel Prize, awarded in Stockholm every year. Sweden has a number of large multinational corporations, such as telecom supplier Ericsson, automotive companies Volvo and Scania, household appliances corporation Electrolux, bearing manufacturer SKF, and high-tech engineering groups Sandvik and Atlas Copco.

The deep-rooted creative environment has made Sweden a strong nation in the areas of design, fashion and music, with well-known international brands such as furniture giant IKEA and clothes retailer H&M. Sweden is also one of the largest music-exporting countries in the world.